V-Day

02 Jul

Posted at 16:13h in Dispatches from Beyond Incarceration, V-Day

I was honored and excited to be invited to participate in a panel discussion following the New York screening of Chesa Boudin's powerful documentary film Beyond Bars. This was my first time seeing the movie, and it proved to be an incredibly moving and emotional experience for me. The film chronicles Chesa's life growing up, visiting his parents in prison - one of whom was my dear friend, mentor, and confidante, Kathy Boudin. Watching the years go by on screen, seeing Chesa make those regular trips to Bedford Hills, hit me viscerally. I was transported back to my own experience of being...

01 Jul

Posted at 18:44h in Afghan Women Speak: Stories from Inside Afghanistan, V-Day

Soon after the Taliban took power in 2021, they banned high school for girls. We already knew then, that sooner or later they will close universities as well, because naturally there will be no high school graduates to join the universities. And this is exactly what happened. The Taliban officially banned girls and women from attending universities and from working in national and international NGOs. In a matter of seconds, we lost everything we had worked for our entire lives....

11 Jun

Posted at 14:31h in Newsletter, V-Day, Voices

VOICES: a sacred sisterscape AUDIO PLAY AVAILABLE DIGITALLY IN ALL MARKETS TODAY VOICES: a sacred sisterscape - our newest artistic project and campaign out of V-Day - premiered to sold-out crowds at the historic Apollo Theatre on 31 May while honoring special guest Anna Deavere Smith. Grammy nominated poet aja monet (“When The Poems Do What They Do”) was chosen by V (formerly Eve Ensler) to spearhead this audio experience of stories written by, narrated by and centering Black women across the diaspora. LeahAnn “Lafemmebear” Mitchell, a Grammy nominated producer, composed new music to accompany the audio play. VOICES is produced...

11 Jun

Posted at 03:00h in V-Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, June 11, 2024 Contact: [email protected] VOICES: a sacred sisterscape NOW AVAILABLE DIGITALLY IN ALL MARKETS PREMIERED AT THE APOLLO THEATRE Interdisciplinary Performance Art Project and Campaign Grounded in Black Women’s Stories of the African Continent and Diaspora Brought to Life (Tuesday, June 11, 2024 - New York, New York) - A new audio play, VOICES: a sacred sisterscape, which premiered to sold out crowds at The Apollo Theatre on May 31, is now streaming across all audio platforms. Distributed by Blackstone Publishing, VOICES, is an audio experience of stories written by, narrated by and centering Black women across the diaspora. Grammy nominated poet aja...

21 May

Posted at 16:11h in Dispatches from Beyond Incarceration, V-Day

FREEHER 10th Anniversary On April 24th, 2024, a historic event took place in Washington, D.C., as more than a thousand passionate individuals gathered to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Freeher march. This monumental event, organized by "The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls," was a significant step towards highlighting the unique challenges faced by women in prisons. The movement aimed to advocate for the rights of incarcerated women and demand clemency for those who have been incarcerated for decades. Participants from different parts of the United States came together to create a united front in the fight...

11 May

Posted at 09:00h in Newsletter, V-Day, Voices

Spearheaded by aja monet (V-Day Voices Artistic Creative Director), VOICES: a sacred sisterscape is an audio experience of stories written by, narrated by and centering Black women across the diaspora. “At a time where so many are being encouraged to speak, to voice, and tell their stories—we find it just as important if not more to listen. It is critical to facilitate art that encourages radical listening for the sake of connection, compassion, and community. This art piece is a celebration of the interior lives we embody and less about fixating on our identities or appearances. We seek to encourage and...

07 May

Posted at 12:27h in Press Releases, V-Day, Voices

For Immediate Release Tuesday, May 7, 2024 Contact: [email protected] ANNOUNCING VOICES: A SACRED SISTERSCAPE AUDIO PLAY V-DAY PRESENTS ITS NEW INTERDISCIPLINARY PERFORMANCE ART PROJECT DEVELOPED BY GRAMMY NOMINATED POET AJA MONET and THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES CREATOR V (FORMERLY EVE ENSLER) AVAILABLE JUNE 11 ACROSS ALL AUDIO STREAMING PLATFORMS (Tuesday, May 7, 2024 - New York, New York) - V-Day is proud to announce that their new audio play, VOICES: a sacred sisterscape, will be available for streaming across all audio platforms beginning June 11, 2024. VOICES, spearheaded by Grammy nominated poet aja monet ("When The Poems Do What They Do"), is an audio experience of stories written by, narrated by and centering...

22 Apr

Posted at 15:45h in City of Joy, Newsletter, One Billion Rising, V-Day

On Earth Day and every day we RISE for Climate Justice & MotherEarth. We amplify the connections between the exploitation of women and the exploitation of the earth. The global climate crisis impacts communities around the world. Women and girls suffer the most in terms of long term loss of livelihood, forced migration, trafficking and other climate related conflicts. Indigenous populations everywhere have suffered gravely – displaced and forced to flee and relocate – making them the world’s first climate refugees. This Earth Day, we renew our call for justice against the aggressive greed and global exploitation of nature and people...

19 Mar

Posted at 17:35h in One Billion Rising, V-Day

UNTIL THE VIOLENCE STOPS! V-Day and One Billion Rising stand in solidarity with the women of Gambia and against the repeal of the ban on FGM (female genital mutilation). Dr. Isatou Touray, former VP of Gambia & OBR Gambia Coordinator, is on the front lines of this grassroots work to ensure the rights of women and girls. See below her urgent statement and call to action. ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2ND READING OF THE ANTI-FGM LAW PRESENTED FOR REPEAL BY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS (NAMS) H.E. DR. ISATOU TOURAY: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GAMCOTRAP 18TH MARCH 2024 PRESS RELEASE Not upholding the law is a violation of...

07 Mar

Posted at 18:33h in City of Joy, Newsletter, One Billion Rising, V-Day

One Billion Rising events are taking place and will continue through 22 April, Earth Day with the 2024 theme: RISE for FREEDOM, Be the New World. Rising Freedom Festivals are 1-2 days in length, including theatre, music, poetry, songs, painting, murals, workshops, massage, storytelling, oral histories, testimonies, drumming, planting, talks, connecting with nature, discussions, bodywork, rituals, ceremonies, circles, and more. If we saw ourselves as artists, what would we imagine and design? What world would we see? What new language and expressions for freedom would we find? How do we create and envision deeper, bigger and bolder? We are in a...